The present invention relates generally to insulating clothing. More particularly, the present invention relates to insulating hood.
In many parts of the world, the ambient temperature falls to a point where it is necessary for persons who are exposed to these conditions to cover portions of their bodies to maintain the body at a sufficient temperature that the persons not only protect the body from injury by exposure to the cold temperature but also retain a sufficient amount of the heat radiated from the body proximate the body to minimize the discomfort associated with being in the cold temperatures.
One portion of the human body that radiates a significant portion of heat is through the head. As such, covering portions of the head reduce the amount of heat radiated from the head and thereby increase the person""s comfort level at a given ambient temperature. While the most efficient manner to cover the head would be to enclose the entire head, the presence of the eyes, nose, mouth and ears on the head make such an approach unfeasible. As such, items used to protect the head are formed with openings for one or more of the eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Alternatively, the items are formed to protect individual portions of the head such as covering the ears with earmuffs.
The desirability of having one or more of the eyes, nose, mouth and ears exposed depends upon a variety of factors including the ambient temperature and the activity the person is attempting to perform in the reduced temperature region. For example, at extremely cold temperatures it is desirable that only the person""s eyes are exposed.
Another factor associated with covering the person""s head is that the amount of protection desired by the person wearing the head protection may very significantly during a given day such that significant coverage is desired at times while minimal coverage is desired at other times. To minimize the amount of items that the person must carry, it is desirable for the wear to adjust the amount of protection provided by a single clothing item rather than changing the clothing item when different levels of protection are desired.
Sivret et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,230, discloses a hood having a closed upper end and an open lower end. The hood has a neck cord that extends around the lower end. Changing the length of the neck cord by changing a position of a clamp on the neck cord permits the lower end to be tightened around the wearer""s neck. The hood also has an opening for the wearer""s face. A face cord extends around a top portion of the opening. Ends of the face cord are joined together at the front portion of the hood with a clamp.
Sontag, U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,838, describes an insulating hood having a hood portion and a neck portion that extends from the hood portion. The neck portion is designed to fold upwardly into the hood portion to provide warmth to the wearer""s neck. The hood portion includes an opening for the wearer""s face. A cord extends around a top portion of the opening. Ends of the cord are joined together at the back portion of the hood with a clamp.
Fruge, U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,389, discloses an insulating hood for use in cold weather. The insulating hood has an open lower end and a closed upper end. The hood has an opening for a wearer""s face. The hood also has openings for the wearer""s ears that are closable with flaps attached to the hood. The hood further includes a cord that extends around the face opening and permits the size of the face opening to be changed.
Mattinson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,549, discloses a hood that is particularly suited for protecting the head of a person wearing the hood from exposure to fire or other hazardous conditions. The hood includes an open lower end and a closed upper end. The hood also includes an opening for the wearer""s face.
The present invention relates to an insulating hood that is suitable for wearing on a person""s head. The insulating hood has a main portion, a bill portion, a first resilient portion, a second resilient portion, an elongated mechanism, and a pair of lock mechanisms.
The main portion has a lower end and an upper end. The lower end is substantially open and is selected with a size to receive the person""s head. The upper end is substantially closed and is curved to substantially conform to a top of the person""s head. The main portion has an opening formed therein.
The bill portion is attached to main portion proximate an upper edge of the opening. The first resilient portion is attached to the main portion proximate the lower end. The second resilient portion is attached to the main portion proximate a lower edge of the opening.
The elongated cord at least partially extends through the main portion around the upper edge and side edges of the opening. The pair of lock mechanisms releasably engages the elongated cord. Changing the position of the lock mechanisms on the elongated cord permits a circumference of the opening to be reduced.
The insulating hood of the present invention thereby provides a flexible configuration that permits the wearer to adjust the position of the insulating hood on the wearer""s head so that the insulating hood provides a high level of insulation, a low level of insulation or an intermediate level of insulation depending on the ambient conditions.